Take Me Away to Paradise
by Arynnl
Summary: Miriam is at Helga's Eighth Grade Graduation and resolves to straighten up her act, can Helga help her along the road to recovery and will Olga and Bob impede her progress? Future chapters will contain AA meetings, and alcohol consumption.


-_-_-_-  
  
"Nice guys finish last, you're running out of gas. Your sympathy will get you left behind-"  
  
Miriam jumped awake from the loud music and then winced as the sudden movement didn't agree with her fierce headache.   
  
She stood up very slowly and squinted at the calendar; was it Friday? She blinked very hard to aid her memory but it didn't help. She stared at the neat little rows and columns calmly, being used to the momentary forgetfulness.  
  
Eventually it would come back to her, and she sat leaned against the counter patiently, thinking very hard. The seconds ticked by and still nothing, she glared at the clock accusingly as if to say 'This is your fault.'   
  
Then she noticed the electronic calendar in the wall clock, it was Saturday!   
  
Something nagged in the back of her mind, but she pushed it aside. There was nothing scheduled to do today.  
  
The music was still playing and with a vengeance, that would be Helga's second alarm clock. She only had one but it allowed her to set it for two different times.   
  
Why wasn't she turning it off?  
  
Reason told her that Helga was either not there, or already awake.   
  
She decided to make the trip to Helga's room to turn the music off.   
  
Ascending the stairs, she went into the room and immediately tripped on something lying on the floor. She looked down in confusion at several cans of bleach and a step stool. She laughed at herself when she saw that she had walked into the supply closet.  
  
After she shut the door she resolved to make a sign for the door which read, 'Supply Closet'. Miriam made her way to Helga's room, asking herself if that would be another broken promise.  
  
She clapped her hands over her ears to block the noise once inside Helga's room. Looking around she saw she was in Helga's room this time. When had Helga repainted the walls a pearl gray?  
  
She looked around her daughter's room, marvelling at the changes. It seemed like yesterday the walls had been a radical hot pink with bows and hearts decorating them. Now it looked like the room of a young lady. The walls were a delicate pearl with shelves running around the them, holding books and canvases. The bed was a queen size with light pink bedsheets. There were some warmer pink and gray pillows at the head and a white throw over the foot. A desk stood in one corner littered with papers and notebooks and underneath it, a steely gray backpack contrasted sharply with the hardwood floor. Facing one of the windows was an easel where an oil painting was blooming. It seemed to be of the street below and was remarkably good for a fourteen year old girl who had only just started real art lessons in seventh grade.   
  
Finally Miriam found enemy number one on the nightstand next to the bed, a small CD player alarm clock was blaring Green Day very loudly and Miriam walked over to it. She sat down on the bed and fiddled with the buttons for a moment. One made the music go louder and another tuned in on a radio station where a man was screaming out some song at the top of his lungs. Needless to say the startled woman was relieved when the next button turned off the sound completely.   
  
She went downstairs to make coffee, feeling proud of her accomplisment. Her only problem was that there was no coffee in the house. Slightly put off, she decided to go out and buy some. As she was putting on her coat she noticed a sticky note on the door, in Helga's quick handwriting.  
  
'Miriam   
Gone to launder's to pick up dress. You need to be at Middle School by 9:45. Set my alarm to wake you up at 9:30. Please come as soon as you read this. See you at graduation.  
Helga  
p.s. I picked out a dress for you its on your bed, and don't look for Bob, he had some meeting to go to and won't be able to make it.  
  
Graduation? Helga's eighth grade graduation!   
  
Miriam ran back to the kitchen and looked up at the clock in horror to find that it was already 9:54! She ran up the stairs to her room, and saw an outfit laid out for her. It was a mint green linen dress that was fitted for her and had a soft buttermilk colored wrap to hang over her shoulders. On the floor next to her bed was a pair of pantyhose and matching pale yellow sandals. She put the pretty outfit on in a hurry, not stopping to remember that she had never bought this outfit and it must've been a present from Helga.  
  
She grabbed a purse and her car keys and was out the door in a few minutes.  
  
The clock read 10:02.  
  
-_-_-_-  
Phoebe and Helga whispered to each other and ignored the frantic efforts of their principal to get some semblance of order, as were all their other classmates in the crowded football field behind the school. It was a sunny day in June and they were graduating. The football stadium had a stage and podium set up at one end, and folding metal chairs facing it for the graduating class. The parents would be sitting in the decorated bleachers.   
  
Phoebe poked Helga in the ribs and whispered, "Where are your parents?"  
  
Helga playfully poked her back, "Miriam probably just woke up and Bob had a meeting to go to this morning with some Japanese clients."  
  
Phoebe's eyes were disappointed, "I'm sorry Helga. I just don't understand-"  
  
Helga smiled, "Its all right Pheebs, I don't care anymore. Besides I didn't earn saludictorian for them, I earned it for myself!"  
  
Phoebe grinned and the two sat in a comfortable silence, anticipation dancing in their eyes. Suddenly Helga noticed out of the corner of her eye a familiar Jeep speeding towards her school.  
  
"Be right back, Pheebs. Miriam's here and knowing her she forgot her make up bag. She probably looks like hell. Well time for me to save the day!"  
  
Phoebe watched her tall best friend stalk off to the school building. She smiled. Helga looked very pretty today. She had straightened her long strawberry blonde hair, and parted it to the side. Only the ends were allowed to hang in their natural curls. She had chosen a sunset pink dress which would've looked gaudy on anyone but Helga. The dress came to just below her knees and was flared in a sort of 50's style; her shoes were a matching pink pair of high heels. A single silver pendant in the shape of a two cherries hung from her neck. Tiny cherries also served as her earrings and bracelet. She looked very nice, and was getting a lot of attention from the males in their class.  
  
Helga was a pretty girl naturally. She had gone through a very awkward period in fourth, fifth and sixth grades but she had matured much faster than the other girls. She looked very european, with her curly red-blonde hair, and dark blue eyes which were accented by long dark lashes and two arched eyebrows. Her lips weren't large but pouty enough and her nose was long and straight but not protrusive. She had developed curves by the winter of seventh grade, but didn't want to look like a street walker by showing them off to everybody so instead of wearing the tight reavealing clothes and flashy makeup that almost every other girl in her class wore, she opted for no make up and an attractive retro wardrobe, becoming a fashion pioneer.   
  
Phoebe turned her attention over to the podium where she would be standing very shortly and recited her speech for valedictorian over for the hundredth time that morning.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Helga was waiting at the entrance when her mother rushed in, looking very frazzled. She looked up and gawked Helga standing next to the ladies room. She looked so old, like a girl of 16 or 17. Miriam was stunned by her youngest daughter, and finally managed to stutter out a question.  
  
"Helga! Did I miss it? Am I late?"  
  
Helga smirked, "No Miriam, you didn't. I planned ahead of you. It doesn't start until 10:45 so I figured that if I told you 9:45 you'd be here by 10:15." She looked at the clock, "Seems like I was right."  
  
Miriam was slightly insulted but proud that her daughter was so sharp, and just stood there wondering what to say.  
  
Helga rolled her eyes, and took her mother by the elbow walking to the bathroom, "Come on Miriam, let's get you some make up and a hair brush. What are you doing with Bob's old wallet?"  
  
Miriam looked down at her hand and saw she was clutching her husband's tattered wallet that he'd tossed aside the year before.   
  
She faltered bashfully, "I- I thought that it-"  
  
Helga grinned, "Don't worry I got a spare purse that matches your wrap. So what do you think of that outfit? I bought it when I bought this dress."  
  
Miriam was slightly overwhelmed, "Oh its very pretty Helga, but I don't usually wear such flashy colors. And I just don't know, doesn't it make my skin look pasty?"  
  
Helga was preoccupied with Miriam's mascara, "No, it makes your skin shine and your eyes stand out."  
  
Within a very short time Miriam was staring into the mirror and saw an awfully attractive woman staring back. Her hair was down as usual but had a few clips put in and some mousse run through it which made it look full and healthy. She only wore a little make up but it made a difference. She looked good and felt better. She had been on time for her daughter's graduation! This could be the beginning of a new life for her!  
  
"See, what did I tell you? You look great! I have to run and ask Phoebe something before this thing starts. Just go sit at the bleachers and I'll see you after, okay?"  
  
She walked out of the bathroom leaving a slightly dazed Miriam with a new satin purse, and a whole different perspective on life than when she had come in.  
  
-_-_-_- 


End file.
